My Heart's Far, Far Away (Home and Free)
by A. Zap
Summary: Weiss wants to go home. White Rose Week Day 4: Home


"It's time to come home."

When her father, in person no less, had shown up and spoken those words at the hospital in Vale, Weiss knew it was not a request, but an order. One she was expected to follow, like normal.

But she couldn't.

"I can't." She had hissed. "My team needs me."

Blake was gone in the wind, and Weiss had no clue when or if she would show up. Yang had lost her arm and was in a drugged sleep even though the doctors had stabilized her. Ruby had been found unconscious at the top of the tower with only the petrified Grimm and Pyrrha's tiara to hint at what had gone down.

Now, more than ever, they needed her.

Her partner needed her.

She couldn't abandon them.

Her father's eyes had narrowed. "You are the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. You need to be safe. Your family needs you."

"Not at the moment! They - "

She really should've seen the slap coming.

It was always how these sorts of arguments ended.

As she had stood there in shock, her father had leaned in close. "Your teammate needs a new arm, doesn't she? It would be unfortunate if she was… unable to receive what she needs."

A lump formed in Weiss's throat.

"And your Faunus teammate - " Weiss's stomach fluttered with panic, because how could he know about that?! "We could make things very difficult for her.

"And the other girl, your partner," Weiss glanced up and saw the sneer on his lips and felt her heart drop, "well, it'd be unfortunate if something happened to her while she's so vulnerable."

Weiss's hands trembled.

She could take anything from him, she could endure a lot from him…

But there was no way she would let her teammates suffer because of him.

Because each of these soft threats were a promise of pain if she did not comply.

So Weiss had swallowed down her protests, said her goodbyes to Yang when she awakened (her father at least allowing that much), and demurely followed her father back to the Schnee mansion.

She went "home."

Once she would have called it that, but now she knew better. It was no more than a prison meant to hold her back, a cage to keep her in until her father saw fit to present her to others.

She hated it.

Her real home was gone, far away.

Home was a crowded room with makeshift bunk beds and four completely different styles of decor upon the walls and shelves.

Home was a crowded table in the cafeteria, surrounded by chatter and comradery and actually getting to act like a teenager with like minded peers.

Home was blonde hair and a cheeky smile and terrible puns and fists of fire that would always rise to protect loved ones. Home was black hair and amber eyes and the softest ears Weiss had ever touched and quiet solidarity over books and studying with tea and coffee on the side.

Home was red and black hair flying back in the wind. Home was the smell of gunpowder and oil. Home was sudden hugs and a chipper voice and a constant tugging to join in and just be. Home was a bright grin and an even brighter disposition. Home was silver eyes, either narrowed in determination or crinkled with joy.

And all of that was gone.

Home was far away and hopefully free.

If she was even still alive what with the way the world seemed to be on the brink of tearing itself apart.

"Is everything alright?"

Weiss jumped slightly at Klein's sudden presence at her elbow. She gave him a weak smile, even as he prodded her into taking the coffee from his tray. "It's… fine." She finally said, taking a sip.

Klein returned the smile, and, after a quick look around, he ruffled her hair slightly. "Hold steady, my little snowflake." He whispered before leaving her alone.

Weiss sighed and looked out the window once more, her mind whirling again with thought and plots.

If she ever wanted to see Ruby again, she was going to need a plan.

Weiss was going home no matter what.

* * *

_AN: So the only way I can imagine Weiss leaving her teammates at the end of Volume 3 (when they needed her most and Ruby wasn't even awake yet) is if her dad threatened her friends. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure kicking and screaming would've been involved. As for the whole slap thing..._

_I once read or watched an analysis of the scene where Jacques slaps Weiss, and the person commented that if that was truly the first time he'd slapped her, Weiss should've been more stunned. She should've been silent for the rest of the conversation from the shock of him hitting her. So it made me thing (as slightly mentioned in a previous fic and that I will go into more detail later this week) that maybe it was a more regular occurrence and that scene was where she managed to push through and still stand defiant before him. Just food for thought._

_Unfortunately for Jacques, Weiss knows what real love, friendship, family, and home are like now, so she has something to fight for._

_ BTW, the title is inspired by a line in the song "Home" from the stage version of Beauty and the Beast. Belle sings this after she strikes her deal with the Beast and sits in her room, talking about how the Beast is a jerk and he'll never truly keep her here, even with all his walls and coldness, because her heart is gone, far away and that's where her home truly is._


End file.
